It also revealed that Savile abused his victims at 14 medical sites including hospitals, mental health units and even a hospice.

Alison Levitt QC, legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), said Savile could have been prosecuted in 2009 had police taken victims more seriously.

I would like to take the opportunity to apologise for the shortcomings in the part played by the CPS in these cases.

If this report and my apology are to serve their full purpose, then this must be seen as a watershed moment.

– DPP Keir Starmer

600 people came forward to report sex abuse in the UK-wide scandal.

450 of the 600 cases related to Savile.

214 criminal offences were recorded against Savile, including 34 rapes, of which 28 of those were under the age of 18.

126 indecent acts by Savile.

The first offence took place in 1955 and the last in 2009.

73% of victims were under the age of 18, with 82% of victims being female.

Savile's youngest victim was aged eight, and oldest aged 47.

A total of 450 people have come forward alleging sexual abuse against Savile since October, and within the recorded crimes, there are 34 rapes and 126 indecent acts, the police and NSPCC report said.

Of his victims, 73% were children, with the total victim age range between eight and 47 years old at the time of the offences.

Savile's offending footprint was vast, predatory and opportunistic. He cannot face justice today, but we hope this report gives some comfort to his hundreds of victims. They have been listened to and taken seriously.

– Commander Peter Spindler, who is leading the national investigation into Savile's abuse

Mr Spindler said so far 617 people had made contact with officers investigating claims against Savile and other figures in the entertainment industry, with 450 directly relating to Savile.

The police report found that the earliest reported offence committed by Savile was in Manchester in 1955, and the final reported allegation was in 2009.

The offences cover the period when Savile worked at the BBC between 1965 and 2006 and include allegations linked to the final recording of Top of the Pops.

It concluded that Savile was an "opportunistic individual who used his celebrity status as a powerful tool to coerce and control" his victims.

The report said it would be "naive" to view the case as the isolated behaviour of a "rogue celebrity" - but the "context of the 1960s and 1970s" need to be recognised.

"It was an age of different social attitudes and the workings of the criminal justice system at the time would have reflected this," it said.

But the report stopped short of apportioning blame to other institutions and agencies that may have "missed past opportunities" to stop Savile.

It said these institutions must do "all they can to make their procedures for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults as robust and rigorous as possible".

Peter Watt, director of child protection advice and awareness at NSPCC, said Savile was one of the most prolific sex offenders the NSPCC has dealt with in its 129-year history.

"It's clear Savile cunningly built his entire life into gaining access to vulnerable children."

Mr Watt said the publicity surrounding the Savile inquiry had triggered a surge in abuse victims of offenders other than Savile to come forward - with 5,000 calls taken by its hotline in October alone.

The sheer scale of Savile's abuse over six decades simply beggars belief. He is without doubt one of the most prolific sex offenders we have ever come across and every number represents a victim that will never get justice now he is dead. But with this report we can at least show his victims that they have been taken seriously and their suffering has been recognised.

– Peter Watt, NSPCC

Leeds Teaching Hospitals said it would look into any complaints made to police about incidents at Leeds General Infirmary and St James's University Hospital, where Savile worked as a volunteer and fundraiser.

It said it would also investigate information given directly to the Trust about this "extremely distressing subject".

In early December, the Trust published the terms of reference for its internal investigation into matters relating to Jimmy Savile's long-standing involvement with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals as a volunteer and fundraiser.

This will be a thorough and detailed piece of work and will be carried out in conjunction with parallel investigations by the Department of Health and other NHS trusts. Work is now under way and we expect our report will be ready towards the end of this year.

As part of this work our panel will look at approaches from people who have contacted the Trust directly to share information on this extremely distressing subject.

The panel will also examine in detail any information the police pass to us about incidents reported to them at Leeds General Infirmary and St James's University Hospital."

– Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Here is a list of the hospitals where Savile offended, including the number of offences and when they occurred.